Arthritis
What is Arthritis? Arthritis is a painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints. Arthritis is when there is a painful inflammation and or stiffness on the joints. There are more than 100 types of arthritis some examples are: Rheumatoid Arthritis,and Gout. These are two of many types of arthritis. People of all ages and sex can get arthritis, more than 50 million adults and 300,000 children have some form of arthritis.It is also genetic and follows through genes of the family. Rheumatoid, and gout are two common types of Arthritis. Gout: Gout was first identified in 2640 BC, by the Egyptians. In 5 BC people referred to gout as ‘the unwalkable disease’. Gout is a major public health concern, with an increasing number of patients.It is extremely painful, and can increase the chances of cardiovascular and metabolic disease. This can cause sudden and severe pain in the area surrounding the joints. An American war veteran said “I have been shot, stabbed, beat up, and thrown out of a helicopter, but none of that compares to the pain of gout”. Gout is caused by an excess of uric acid in the blood. Normally, uric acid is dissolved in the blood then leaves the body through the kidneys. If too much uric acid is produced, it will build up and form a sharp crystal. The crystal then triggers inflammation and pain in the joints. Men are more likely to get gout than women because they produce more uric acid. Gout can also be genetic. It can also be caused by alcohol consumption. The main symptoms of gout are: - Intense joint pain - Discomfort near the joints - Inflammation and redness Rheumatoid Arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects the joints in the hands and feet. It makes your joints feel stiff, and unwell. This type of arthritis is an autoimmune disease. Our immune system has cells that it sends out to attack organisms that will harm us. But when our immune system starts attacking our own bodies, mistaking body tissues for foreign invaders, we have an autoimmune disease. Rheumatoid is referred to as a systematic disease. In some cases the disease can spread to the lungs and cause inflammation. How does Arthritis Affect the Skeletal System? The skeletal system is affected in many different ways by arthritis. Each effect of arthritis causes something else to be painful or damaged. The cartilage is damaged very easily which allows bones to rub together in an uncomfortable way. With enough friction from this, the bones can be damaged and worn down. This friction causes swelling in the bones, which can lead to "bone spurs" , also known as bony growths. People who have arthritis may have damaged cartilage and synovial, the synovial is a protective fluid we have in our body. Your immune system may kill off your cartilage, this then attacks the synovial which allows white blood cells to go into the person’s body. This form of arthritis effects any joint in the body and may cause redness, swelling and tenderness in the joint. Since the cartilage and synovial protects the bones, if someone has arthritis they will have their friction with their bones. Signs and Symptoms Symptoms of arthritis may include joint pain and progressive stiffness that develops gradually. Also, arthritis may include painful swelling, inflammation, and stiffness in the fingers, arms, legs, and wrists occurring in the same joints on both sides of the body, especially upon awakening. The signs of arthritis may be joint pain, and progressive stiffness that develops gradually. In addition more signs and or symptoms can be painful swelling, inflammation and stiffness in the fingers, arms, legs, and wrists this happens in both sides of one’s body. These are just the visible signs and symptoms of arthritis which is when you start to feel pain when moving the bone and is dismissed by relaxing the bone. Diagnosis To diagnose arthritis, your doctor will consider your symptoms, perform a physical examination to check for swollen joints or loss of motion, and use blood tests and X-rays to confirm the diagnosis.Primary care providers are usually the first stop for joint problems. Someone who’s been searching for answers for a while may see to a rheumatologist, a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating arthritis and rheumatic conditions, or an orthopaedic specialist, or joint surgeon. All of them are going to approach joint problems in a similar fashion, but with differences in depth and breadth of examination and testing. A physical exam can be done to diagnose arthritis. A joint evaluation is hands-on work. Doctors look to see which joints have visible signs of joint swelling, stiffness or redness. The exam is detailed. Knowing the fingers are affected is a little helpful, but seeing which finger joints -- the knuckles, middle joints or tip joints – is very helpful. If more than one joint is involved, there will be a joint count, and check for whether the pattern is symmetrical, that is, whether the same joint is affected on both sides of the body (for example, both wrists). The doctor will feel the joint for warmth, swelling and fluid. The doctor will move the joints back and forth to see range of motion, and will and gently prod to see if there are tender areas near or far from the joint. Then there are the usual exam steps -- a temperature reading, a check for swollen glands, a look into the eyes and down the throat, as well as a reflex check, too. Depending on the findings, your doctor may order lab and/or imaging tests.Lab Tests: Blood may be drawn to check for levels of inflammation, presence of antibodies, and status of general systems (complete blood count, liver and kidney function, etc.). The doctor may use a needle to draw fluid from the joint for analysis. Sometimes, a genetic test may be ordered. Imaging Tests: X-rays are the most frequently used means of visualizing the joint, but sometimes ultrasound and MRI are used. The image will be read for structural changes in the joint, signs of joint erosions, cartilage loss, soft tissue tears, inflammation, location and amount of fluid, and presence of loose tissue fragments. To figure out what type of arthritis you have, since there are hundreds of types, your doctor will have you take a blood test in addition with the X – ray to figure out what form of arthritis you may have. A generalist will likely do a top-level exam and some basic tests looking for some of the more common types of arthritis. A rheumatologist will do a comprehensive and thorough assessment; an orthopaedist will evaluate the physical, or mechanical, cause of joint pain and determine the potential for a surgical solution. Treatment Arthritis treatment focuses on relieving symptoms and improving joint function. You may need to try several different treatments, or combinations of treatments, before you determine what works best for you. The medications used to treat arthritis vary depending on the type of arthritis, for example, Analgesics uses medications to help reduce pain, but have no effect on inflammation, Tylenol is taken. Physical therapy can be helpful for some types of arthritis. Exercises can improve range of motion and strengthen the muscles surrounding joints. In some cases, splints or braces may be warranted. If conservative measures don't help, your doctor may suggest surgery. Many people use alternative remedies for arthritis, but there is little reliable evidence to support the use of many of these products. For example yoga or tai chi. Treatment for arthritis is done by in many ways. There is medication that you can take, joint surgery, and as well there are natural treatments. The medication treatment is when the person affected by arthritis takes a pill to relieve the stress. Some examples of medication that do this are analgesics which is like Tylenol, there is biologics, corticosteroids which mimic the effect of the hormone, these are just a few of the many medications used for the treatment of arthritis. The joint surgery is used to correct the problem or issue that is happening with the person’s joints which is why many people choose this treatment option to help them with their arthritis. The natural treatments are usually done when the person takes vitamins to strengthen their bones which will help their problems with arthritis. Skeletal System Arthritis Arthritis is a type of joint inflammation which, as well as affecting the joints, also affects the tissues that surround the joint, and other connective tissues. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is caused by a reduction in the normal amount of cartilage tissue through wear and tear throughout life. Arthritis can be characterized by pain, achiness, and swelling in and around one or more joints, and the symptoms can develop gradually or suddenly. Potential causes of arthritis may include: Injury (leading to degenerative arthritis), abnormal metabolism (leading to gout and pseudogout), inheritance (such as osteoarthritis), infections (such as Lyme disease), and immune system dysfunction (RA and SLE). The people who are most susceptible to acquiring arthritis are people who have experienced a previous injury, infections, smoking, and those who have physically demanding occupations. Nutrition can aid to managing and preventing arthritis, but some means of treatment are: medication, therapy, joint assistive aids, weight loss, and surgery. To know for sure if someone has arthritis, some tests can be taken such as: rheumatoid factor, joint X-ray, bone scan, synovial fluid analysis, and blood culture.